Extension delivery and drying attachment for printing-presses.



W. C. HAMMERSIVHTH.

EXTENSION DELIVERY AND DRYING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

AFPLICAHON FILED 1AN.13. 19H. Paten Mar. 5,11%.

' 6 SHEETS-SHEET I.

$1 I v 8mm & flir m w.

w. c. HAMMERSIVIITH. EXTENSION DELIVERY AND DRYING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION EILED IAN-13.19IL

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ammywoz lwyqaymyz2 C. HAMMERSIVHTH.

EXTENSWN DELIVERY AND DRYING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13. 19-17.

W. C. HAMMERSMITH.

EXTENSION DELIVERY AND DRYING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED 1AM. I3. I917- Patented Mar. 5, 191%.

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vwamtoz aha 27921 1172717.

w. c. HAMMERSMITH, EXTENSION DELIVERY AND DRYING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.I3, I917.

' Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

ammtdz 8 7 ,6737 2 3?.

WILLIAM c. nmrrnnsnrrn, or nnn'vnn, coitonano.

EXTENSION DELIVERY AND DRYING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, Mme.

Applicationhled January 13, 1917. Serial No. 142,289.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIA C. HAMMER- sMrrri, citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension Delivery and Drying Attachments for Printing-Fresses; and do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of. this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in extension attachments for printing presses, to which printed sheets are delivered by the press and manipulated in such a. mannor as to dry and dropthem into a pile or package thus obviating the necessity of what is termed slip-sheeting, the latter consisting in placing sheets of paper between the printed sheets in order to avoid blurring the printed sheets by reason of the fact that the ink is not dry.

In my improved construction the entire operation is automatic after the printed sheets are taken from the press. These sheets are first carried from the press by 'means of a tapeor belt which inturn delivers them to a carriage which is mounted to slide horizontally in the framework of the structure whereby the sheets deposited thereon bythe belt, are carried forwardly and finally delivered. to a vertically movvertical carrier, the sheets being finally dew ablecarrier consisting of four endless chains equipped with gripping devices'which are automatically actuated for closing and opening purposes, these gripping devices, onv the inner runs of the chain's being firstclosed upon the sheet as it rests upon the horizontally movable carriage, after which the latter recedes and the vertically movable carrier equipped with *gripping .devices is automatically actuated whereby a step-bystep movement is imparted thereto, each sheet being thus lowered'a short distance before the next sheet is brought into position by the horizontal carriage. By virtue of this operation, the sheets are kept separated and are gradually moved downwardly as the said movement is imparted to the posited at the bottom, having been sulficiently dried before being released from the carrier to accomplish the desired pur-. pose.

Having briefly outlined my improvement I will proceed to describe the same in detail reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofmy improved attachment, a small portion of the printing press being shown at the right hand extremity of the view, the balance of the press being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the same shown on a larger scale, the right hand portion of the structure as well as the bottom being broken away and shown partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the structure shown on a larger scale and illustrating the manner in which the horizontally reciprocable carriage actuates the mechanism for causing the gripping devices of the vertically movable carrier to close upon the opposite edges of the printed sheets after the carriage has reached its limit of forward movement.

Fig. 4; is a vertical section taken on the line M Fig. 5, viewed in the direction of the arrow at the right hand extremity of said line.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 55, Fig. 4 lookingdownwardly or in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 66 Fig. 5, the vertically movable carrier chains, however, being indicated in dotted lines only, the grippin -devices with which they are equipped eing omitted. This view isfor the purpose of indicatmg.

the adjustability of the two memb rs of the Fig. '8 is a perspective view of the horizontally reciprocable carriage, parts of which are broken away, intenn d ate h ir extremities, the structure being shown on a larger scale than in the other views.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral designate the extremity of a printing press to which my improvement is applied. The machinery of the press operates a wheel 6 which is mounted on the framework of the press and carries a wrist pin'7 located beyond the center of the wheel, whereby a reciprocating movement is imparted to a rod 8, one extremity of which is connected to the wrist pin 7 while the opposite extremity is pivotally connected as shown at 9 with the lower end of a lever 10 fulcrumed at 12, the opposite extremity of the lever being connected as shown at 13 with one end of a link 14, the opposite extremity of the link being pivotally connected as shown at 15 with the short arm 16 of a lever 17 which is fulcrumed as shown at 18, the opposite or long arm of the lever being pivotally connected as shown at 19 with oneend of a rod 20 whose opposite end is pivotally connected as shownat 21 with an upright member 22 which is rigidly connected with the reciprocable carriage 23. It must be understood that the operating mechanism just described is duplicated or arranged on both sides of the machine, that is to say, there is one wheel 6, one rod 8 and two of each of the other devices between the rod 8 and the upright members 22 of the carriage The rear or right hand extremity of my improvement consists of a frame 24 including two spaced side bars 25 whose upper extremities are pivotally connected as shown at 26 with the rear extremities of two horizontal bars 27 whi h form guides for grooved members 28 mounted upon side bars 29 of the carriage 23. The side bars 27 form part of a horizontally disposed upper framework which constitutes a support for the horizontally reciprocable carriage 23.

The bars '25 of the pivoted framework 24 are equipped with'upright members 30, at their right,v hand extremities, in which are mounted a transversely arranged roll 31 which forms a supportfor the right hand extremity of anendless belt 32 which also, engages rolls 33 and 34 mounted on up rights 35 secured to the bars .27. The left hand extremity of the belt also engages, a roll 36 which is journaled'in two uprights 37 also secured to .the frame bars27.

i The bars 25 of the pivoted framework 24 are equipped, at their lowerextremities, with brackets 38 having recesses 39 which engage a r-od 40 mounted on the printing press 5 whereby the-pivoted framework 24 is supported in operative relation with the press. The lower part of the pivoted framework 24 is further provided with a transverse member 41 upon which are mounted relatively short fingers 42 which are positioned to receive the printed sheets 43 as they leave the press, the said fingers being arranged to guide the sheets 43 into operative engagement with the belt 32. The press is equipped with a roll 44 to which rotary movement is imparted by a belt 45 connected with any suitable motor. From the roll 44 motion is transmitted to the roll 31 through the medium of wheels 45 and 46 and a flexible connection as a sprocket chain 47.

In order to maintain the sheets of paper in proper engagement with the belt 32, the pivoted frame 24 is equipped with anti-frictional rollers 49 which are adjustable whereby they may be positioned to engage the printed sheets on the unprinted margins of the latter, whereby the rollers will not serve to blur or spread the ink on the printed sheet. As shown in the drawing, these rollers are secured by means of clamps 50 and 7 their connections are longitudinally adjustable upon the rods 51. Provision is also made for the transverse adjustment of the rollers upon transversely arranged rods 51 carried by the clamping members 50. The upper extremities of the rods 51 are connected with uprights 35 of the horizontally disposed framework 52 of which the bars27 constitute an important part.

Vhen the structure is assembled, and the carriage 23 is at its rearward limit of movement, it is located underneath the forward portion of the lower run of the belt 32, and the forward movement of the carriage 23 is so timed that this movement is commenced just before the forward edge of a printed sheet 43 carried by the belt 32 reaches the forward extremity of the belt or the belt carrying roll 36, and just in time to receive the printed sheet as it begins to leave the forward extremity of the belt, hence, by the time the carriage 23 reaches its forward limit of movement, the printed sheet is delivered in its entirety to the carriage 23 which is then moved into the upper portion of an upright structure 54 including vertically disposed bars 55, 'the printed sheet 43 being moved .on the arms 53 of the carriage into position between two carrier members, each member consisting of two spaced endless chains 56. The two chains of each of these members engage upper and'lower sprocket wheels 57, the upper sprocket wheels of each pair beingmade fast to a shaft 58 and the lower sprocket wheels ally connected with the adjacent extremity nected with each other as shown at 64. The

shafts 58 are journaled on. upright bars 65 upon each of which bars a frame 66 is slldably mounted, said frame being com osed' of horizontal upper and lower parts 6 and 68 whicha-re connected by vertically disposed stop parts 69 and 70. The parts 67 and 68 of each of these frames are slotted as shown at 71 and 72 to receive pins 73 and 74 mounted on a bar 65. 'The part 69 of each of these frames 66 is provided on one side with a cam 75 which, when the frame 1 properly actuated, lies in the part of an extension of the toggle connection between each pairof jaws 59 when the latter are moved downwardly in the performance of their function, whereby the said jaws are caused to grip the opposite side edges of the printed sheet 43.

As the carriage 23 reaches its forward limit of movement, a projection 76 mounted on the forward extremity of one of the bars 29, acts on a crank 77 of a shaft 78 to impart a partial rotary movement to the said shaft. Upon the shaft 78 is mounted a segmental gear 79 which meshes with a bevel gear 80 fast on a shaft 81 which is journaled in bearings 82 carried by the upright bars 65 in which the shafts 57 are also journaled. The partial rotary movement imparted to the shaft 78. imparts a similar movement to .two shafts 81, each of which is equipped with two pairs of projections82 and 83 which are arranged'at right angles to eachother. It should be explained that there is a frame 66 for each one of the sprocket chains of each pair which carry the jaws 59, connected by the plates-61, as heretofore explained. The partial rotary movement imparted to the shafts 81, when the carriage 23 has reached its forward limit of movepaths of extensions 84 formed upon the pivots 64 of each pair of toggle links 62,

whereby these pairs of links are actuated to close the two companion jaws 59 which are connected with the corresponding toggle, this operation taking'place just in time to cause the gripping jaws to grasp the opposite edges of the printed sheet 43 as it is moved into position by the carriage 23. The carriage then, by virtue of the operating mechanism heretofore described, begins its return or backward movement preparatory to receiving another printed sheet from the endless belt 32. Y

The carriage 23 is equipped with two u right members 85 .which are respective y connected with the bars 29 of the carriage.

Journalled in these projections 85 is a rod 86 upon which is mounted a number of fingers 87 which are adapted to engage the forward extremities of the arms 53 of the carriage, whereby the printed sheets, when delivered to these arms, are prevented from extending beyond the free extremities of the said arms. In order to accomplish'this'manipulation of the fingers 87, one ofthe projections 85 is equipped with a lever-like block 88 which is fulcrumed at 89. The upper arm of this block is operatively connected as shown at 90 with a crank 91 formed on one extremity of the rod 84. The opposite arm of the block 88 extends into the path of a rearwardly located stop 92 and a forwardly located stop 93, the two stopsbeing mounted on the horizontally disposed stationary frame bars of the structure. As the carriage approaches rearward limit of movement the lower arm of the pivoted block 88 engages the stop 92 and the latter serves through the mediumof the crank 9l-and the rod. 86 to throw the fingers 87 into engagement with the respective arms 5 of the carriage as best illustrated in Fig. 2. These parts remain in this position until the carriage reaches-its forward limit of movement when the lower arm of the pivoted block 88 engages the forwardly located stop 93 whereby the fingers 87 are raised from engagement with the arms 53 of the carriage or thrown to the position best illustrated in s- In order that the gripping devices ofthe two pairs of chains may properly act'upon the printed sheets 43 it is important that the two gripping members each composed of a pair of endless chains 56 as heretofore described, shall be so adjusted that the gripping devices shall be properly spaced to correspond with the width of the printed sheets which the structure is handling at any particular time. In order to effect this adjustment, I have provided twopairs of adjusting screws, these pairsbeing arranged in upper and lower relation. The two upper screws are designated 94 and the two lower screws. 95. These screws 94 are journaled in stationary uprights 96 and their threaded portions engage nuts 97 mounted on the uprightbars 65, the outer extremities of the screws being equipped as shown at 98 to receive the socket extremity of a hand crank 99 for screw manipulating purposes. From this it will be understood that as thetwo upper screws are rotated, the two uprights 65 which carry" the two chains of the grip- 7 ping member farther "to theleft in Figs. '4,

mounted on the screws 94 whose portions, engaging .openings formed in the uprights 65, are plain'or unthreaded. Again, if 1t 18 desired to allow the left hand gripping member, referring to the same views as above, to remain stationary while the opposite or right hand member isadjusted, the two lower screws 95 are manipulated and these have threaded portions which engage nuts 100 with which the two uprights, of the right hand gripping member, are equipped, the two screws 95 engaging the upright 65 of the'gripping member farther to the left in sliding relation. Hence, as the left hand gripping member is actuated for purposes of adjustment, its two uprights 65 are actuated by virtue of the engagementof the threaded portions of the screws 94 with nuts 97 while other portions of the same uprights slide upon the unthreaded portions of the two lower screws 95; while, if the right hand gripping member is to be adjusted, it is actuated by virtue of the engagement of threaded portions of the screws 95 with the nuts 100, while the uprights 95 of this right hand member slide freely on the plain or unthreaded portions of the two upper screws 94. During this adjustment of the two gripping members the gears 79 of the-shaft 78, are moved upon the said shaft by virtue of the fact that the shafts 81 are equipped with rigidly secured curved arms 101 whose extremities remote from the shafts 81 are equipped with sleeves 102 which slide freely on the shaft 78, the two "sleeves 102 being in direct engagement with the hubs 103 respectively of the gears 79 which are splined on the shaft 78, hence, during the aforesaid adjustment, as the shaft 81, or one gripping member, is moved toward or away from the other, the gears 79 are moved upon their shaft 78, being maintained in meshing relation with the companion gears 80 by virtue of the construction just described. I

After the carriage 23 has reached its forward limit of movement and begins the return movement, after the two gripping members have taken charge of the printed sheet 43, a toothed member 104, carried by one of the side bars 29 of the carriage, acts upon a ratchet wheel 105 which is fast on a shaft 106. This shaft 106 is equipped with two gears 107 which respectively mesh with other gears 108 fast on shafts 109, there being one of these shafts for each of the gripping members. Each shaft 109 is further equipped with a sprocket wheel 110 which is connected by means of a chain 112 with a similar sprocket 113 fast on the upper shaft 58 .of each of the gripping members. The engagement of the toothed member 104'with the ratchet wheel 105 during the reverse movement of the carriage 23 as aforesaid, is sufficient to impart a partial rotary movement to the ratchet wheel which in turn acts upon the gears 106 and 107 to impart a partial rotation to the shaft 109 and consequently a partial rotation to the shaft 58 carrying the two chains of the griping member. This movement of the chains is sufficient to carry the printed sheet 43 downwardly a short distance, whereby the gripping devices of the two gripping members are brought into position to grasp the next printed sheet 43 as it is brought into position by the carriage 23 during its next forward movement.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my improved extension, delivery and drying attachment for printing presses will be readily understood and the various steps will now be connectedly set forth.

After each sheet 43 is printed, it is delivered to the rear portion of the belt 32- which carries it upwardly and finally deposits it upon the carriage 23 as the latter moves forwardly by virtue of the construction heretofore described. This sheet is carried forwardly on the arms 53 of the carriage, and as soon as the latter reaches its forward limit of movement, the gripping members grasp the opposite edges of the sheet and support the same, the carriage member beginning its reverse or rearward movement,

- ward limit of movement, the projections 84 of the toggle pivots 64 of the corresponding pairs of jaws 59, engage cam members 114 whereby the toggles are adjusted to open the several pairs of jaws 59, thus releasing the lowermost sheet 43 and allowing it to drop into position upon a truck or removable support 115 as best illustrated in Fig.

1. By the time any sheet 43 is released, the ink is sufficiently dry to prevent any blurring or spreading? thereof as the printed sheets are placed together as shown at 116. Hence, by virtue of my improvement the necessity for slip-sheeting as heretofore defined, is obviated.

Attention is called to the fact that the toothed member 104 is yieldingly mounted upon the bar 29 of the slidable frame 23 being supported by means of two pins 120 which are vertically movable on the bar 29. These pins are surrounded by spiral springs 121 which are located in recesses 122 formed in the bar and open at the bottom, their upmtaooi per extremities being closed. The lower extremities of these springs act upon the opposite extremities of the toothed member 104 and force it downwardly against the ratchet wheel 105,- whereby during the rearward movement of the carriage 23 the teeth of the bar engage one or more teeth of the ratchet wheel and impart a partial rotation to the latter to cause it to perform its function as heretofore explained, However, upon the return or forward movement of the carriage, the teeth of this member move idly over the teethof the ratchet wheel" since the bar has a sufficient degree of upward movement against the springs 121 to permit this result.

The partial rotary movement of the rock shaft 78, due to the engagement of the part 7 6 of the carriage with the roller extremity 7 7 of a crank on the said shaft, whereby the cam 75 of the frame 66 is moved into position'to act upon the jaws 59 of the gripping devices to cause the latter to close u on the edge of the printed sheet, has alrea y been explained. After the carriage has com: menced its return movement whereby the part 76 is disengaged from the said crank arm of the rock shaft 78, a spring 123 which is connected with the shaft 7 8 at one extremity, and with the stationary framework at the opposite extremity, acts'upon the shaft 78 to impart the return movement thereto, or to move the said shaft in the opposite direction from that imparted by the carriage, the said spring having been placed under tension by the said carriage-imparted movement of the shaft. Hence, as soon as the force which actuated the shaft has been released or ceases to act, the recoil of the spring will perform the required function whereby the cam 75 is returned to its normal position, thus allowing the gripping members to move as required in order that each printed sheet 43 may be carried downwardly out of the path of the carriage by thetlme the carriage again reaches its orward movement withanother rinted sheet.

' Having describe my invention what claim is:

1. The combination with an endless carrier having two spaced parallel members, of a carriage mounted to reciprocate between the two members, each member comprising a plurality of flexible devices, gripping devices carried by the two members, the reciprocating carriage being adapted todeliver a sheet and gripplng devices of eachmem;

her being adapted to engage said sheet.

2. The combination with an endless carrier having two spaced parallel members, of a carriage mounted to move between the two members, each member comprising a plurality of flexible devices, gripping devices carried by the two members, the movable carriage being adapted to deliver a sheet and grippingdevices of each member being adapted to engage said sheet.

3. The combination of a reciprocable carriage, means for delivering printed sheets thereto, a carrier composed of two spaced pairs of endless chains, each pair of chains being equipped with gripping devices, means for supporting the two pairs of chains in traveling relation on opposite sides of the path of; the carriage, and means for automatically actuating the gripping devices to cause them to grasp the printed sheets as they are moved successively into position by the carriage.

, 4. The combination of a reciprocable carriage, means for delivering printed sheets thereto, a carrier composed of two spaced pairs of endless chains, each pair of chains being connected by gripping devices, means for supporting the two pairs of chains in path of the carriage, means for automatically actuating the gripping devices to cause them to grasp the printed sheets as they are moved successively into position by the carriage, and means for automatically imparting movement to the carrier.

5., The combination of a reciprocable carriage, means for delivering printed sheets thereto, a carrier composed of spaced pairs of endless chains, the two chains of each pair being connected by gripping devices, means for supporting the two pairs of chains in traveling relation on opposite sides of the path of the carriage, means for automatically actuating the gripping devices to cause them to grasp the printed sheets as they are moved successively into position by "the carriage, means for automatically imparting movement to the carrier, and means for automatically vices to cause them to release the printed sheets at properly timed intervals.

6. The combination of a reciprocable carriage, means for delivering printed-sheets thereto, a carrier composed of two, spaced pairs of endless chains, the two chains of each pair being connected by gripping devices, means for supporting the twopairs of chains in traveling relation on opposite sides of the path of the carriage, and means controlled by the carriage for automatically actuating the gripping devices to cause them to grasp the printed sheets as they aremoved successively into position bythe carriage.

7. The combination of a. reciprocable carriage, meansfor delivering printed sheets thereto, a carrier composed of two spaced pairs of endless chains, the chains of each,

actuating the gripping'decause said devices to grasp the sheets as they are moved into position by the carriage.

8. The combination of a reciprocable carriage, means for delivering printed sheets thereto, a carrier composed of two spaced pairs of endless chains, the chains of each pair being connected by gripping devices, means for supporting the two pairs of chains in traveling relation on opposite sides of the path of the carriage, and an operative connection between the carriage and the gripping devices of the carrier to cause said device to grasp the sheets as they are moved into position by the carriage, said connection including a rock shaft, a second shaft and cotiperating gears.

*9. The combination of a reciprocable carriage, means for delivering printed sheets thereto, a carrier composed of two spaced pairs'of endless chains, the chains of each pair being connected by gripping devices, means for supporting the two pairs of chains iii-traveling relation on opposite sides of the path of the carriage and an operative connection between the carriage and the gripping devices of the carrier to cause said devices to grasp the sheets as they are moved into position by the carriage, said connection including a rock shaft, a second shaft and cooperating gears, the rOCk shaft having a crank arm arranged in the path of the carriage.

10. The combination of a reciprocable carriage, means for delivering printed sheets thereto, a carrier composed of two spaced pairs of endless chains, the chains of .each

pair being connected by gripping devices, means for supporting the two pairs of chains in traveling relation on opposite sides of the path of the carriage, means for automatically actuating the gripping devices to cause them to grasp the printed sheets as they are moved successively into position by the carriage, and means controlled by the carriage for automatically imparting movement to the carrier.

11. The combination of a reciprocable carriage, means for deliverin printed sheets thereto, a carrier compose of two spaced pairs of endless chains, the chains of each 7 pair being connected by gripping devices,

means for supporting the two pairs of chains in traveling relation on opposite sides of the path of the carr age, and 'ineans for automatically' actuating the gripping de- "vices to cause them to grasp the printed sheets as they are moved into position by the carriage, and an operative connection between the carriagmand the carrier for autoinatically imparting movement to the carrier.

12. The combination of a reciprocable carriage, means for delivering printed sheets thereto, a carrier composed of two spaced pairs of endless chains, the chains of each pair being connected by gripping devices, means for supporting the two pairs of chains in traveling relation on opposite sides of the path of the carriage, and means for automatically actuating the gripping devices to cause them to grasp the printed sheets as they are moved into position by the carriage,

and an operative connection between the sheets thereto, the said carriage being provided with a pair of spaced arms, a rock spindle mounted on the carriage above said arms and rovided with a crank, fingers carried by tl ie spindle, spaced stops mounted on the frame, and a pivoted block mounted on the carriage, one extremity of which is connected with the said crank while the other extremity is arranged to engage the stops of the frame whereby the fingers are lowered to engage the carriage arms and raised from said arm engaging position for the purpose set forth.

14. A printing press attachment of the class described includin an endless carrier composed of two spaced pairs of chains, a carriage reciprocably mounted to move between the two pairs of chains, gripping devices carried by the chains, and means for adjusting thepairs of'chains to regulate the space between them to correspond with the width of printed sheets delivered by the carriage.

15. A printing press attachment of the class described including a reciprocable carriage, means for delivering printed sheets to the carriage, a carrier composed of two members arranged on opposite sides of the path of the carriage, and means for varying the space between the two members as the width of the printed sheets varies.

16. A printing press attachment of the class described including a reciprocable carriage, means for delivering printed sheets to the carriage, a carrier composed of two members arranged on opposite sides of the path of the carriage, and means for varying the space between the two members as the width of the printed sheets varies, said means including two journaled adjustin screws, one of which is threaded in the %rst member while the other member is slidable thereon, the other screw being threaded in the second member While the first member is slidable thereon.

17. A printing press attachment of the class described including a reciprocable carriage, meansfor delivering printed sheets to the carriage, a carrier composed of two members arranged on opposite sides of the path of the carriage, and means for varying the space between the two members as the width of the printed sheets varies. said means including two sets of journaled adjusting screws, one set being threaded in the first member while the other member is slidable thereon, the other set being threaded in the second member while the first member is slidable thereon.

18. A printing press attachment of the class described including an endless carrier composed of two spaced'members, each member being composed of a plurality of chains, a carriage reciproeably mounted to move between the two members of the carrier, gripping devices carried by the said members and'means for adjusting said carrier members to regulate the space between them to correspond with the width of printed sheets delivered by the carriage.

19. A printing press attachment of the class described including an endless carrier composed of two-spaced members, each memher being composed of a plurality of chains, gripping devices carried by the two members, and a carriage reciprocably mounted to. move between said members.

20. The combination of a horizontally reciprocable carriage and a vertically movable carrierarranged to cooperate with the earriage, said carrier composed of two spaced members and each member being composed of a plurality of flexible devices, gripping means on the flexible devices to engage and remove sheets from the carriage at properly timed intervals.

21. The combination of a movable carriage and a movable carrier arranged to cooperate with the carriage, the carrierbeing composed of two spacedparallel members, each member comprising a plurality of flQXi-r ble devices, gripping means carried by the two members, the movable carriage being adapted to'deliver a sheet and gripping devices of each member beingadapted to engage the sheet.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM C. HAMMERSMI'IH.

\Vitnesses HELEN A. VILLEMAGNE, Orro E. Hoonron. 

